Cup-dispenser.



L. S. FLATAU.

0UP DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE so, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

, Abbwb STATES PAT CUP-DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

mama Mar.31,1914.

Application filed June 30, 1913. Serial No. 776,693.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LoUIs S. FLATA a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cup-Dispensers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a dispenser adapted to hold paper drinking cups and to deliver them singly from the dispenser, the invention having for its object to provide means whereby the cups, nested into each other in frictional contact, may be effectually separated to permit the discharge of i the cups one at a time with the remainder of the cups retained in the dispenser.

Figure I is a vertical section through my cup dispenser. Fig. II is a top or planview of the cup separators of my dispenser and the separator operating ring, the housing being shown in horizontal section. Fig. III

is a top or plan View of thedispenser, the magazine and the locking device for holding the magazine in closed position being shown in horizontal section. Fig. IV is a perspective view' of one of the cup separators. I V

My cup dispenser is designed more particularly for use in dispensing paper drinking cups, such as those shown in the drawings, these cups being formed with outwardly extending lips at their mouths, the cups being designated A, and theirlips a. Cups of this kind are nested together previous to their introduction into the magazine of my dispenser and, being so nested, are frictionally engaged and it is necessary to provide suitable means for forcing them apart so that they will be discharged singly from the dispenser.

1 designates the housing of my dispenser, formed with a downwardly extending spout 2, which receives each cup as it is separated from the remainder of the nested cups. The spout is preferably provided at its lower end with an internal bead 3, which receives the lips of the cups in order that they may hang suspended from the spout when they fall therethrough.

4 designates the/magazine of my dispenser, having a base 5 that serves also as a cover for the housing 1. To permit access tioned, each separator includes a lower cup supporting wing S in the form of a segmental flange, on which the lip of the lowermost cup in the dispenser rests, and a V-shaped spreader 9, the point of which is located in a plane above the top of the wing 8, the bottom face of said spreader being located in a plane below the top of the wing 8. Each spreader 9 is adapted to enter between the lip of the lowermost cup and the lip of the cup next thereabove in the set of nested cups to' be dispensed; The spreader 9 of each separator in the form of a segment offset from said segmental supporting wing,

so that when the spreaders are operated bemovement therebetween, after the cup supporting-wings 8 have been moved from positions beneath the lip of the lowermost cup, said spreaders will exert pressure in opposite directions against the lips of the cups beneath and above it and, consequently, the cup next to the lowermost one, and those above it will be elevated, while tlielowermost cup is forced downwardly and freed from the cup in which it is seated. The spreaders B are made to perform the functions ascribed to them by an operating ring 12, which is rockably mounted on the annular shelf 7 in the dispenser housing 1. This operating ring 'is provided with transverse slots 13, which receive studs 11 carried by lever arms 10 on the'separators B. The separator operating ring is provided with a handle 14, which extends through a slot 1 in the dispenser housing and is operable to a limited degree commensurate with thelength of said slot.

It will now be understood that when the separators B and the separator operating rin 12 are in the positions seen in F1gs..I

. to II, inclusive, the nested cups present in as p the dispenser are supported by the win s 8 of the separators, due to the lip of the ow-: ermost cup resting upon said wing. To dislodge the lowermost cup in the dispenser, it is only necessary to move the handle 14: as permitted by the slot 1 in the dispenser housing, and this movement of the handle results in partial rotation of the separator operating ring and the separators. During the partial rotation of the ring, the cup sup porting wings 8 of the separators B are first withdrawn from positions beneath the lip of the lowermost cup, and the V-shaped Spreaders 9 of the separators enter between the lip of the lowermost cup and the lip of the cup next thereabove. Pressure is there; fore exerted by the spreaders 9 in opposite directions against the two cups referred to, due to the double incline of the V-shaped Spreaders, and the cups between the lips of which the spreaders operate are so effectually separated as to free the lowermost cup and allow it to fall into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. I. A reverse movement of the separator operating ring 12 results in the reverse movement of the separators, so that what has now become the lowermost cup is permitted to descend from" the Spreaders 9 onto the cup supporting wings 8, all parts being then in initial positions, ready for the next operation It is quite desirable to provide against the opening, by an unauthorized person, of the magazine of a dispenser such as herein (1%" scribed, for the purpose of extracting the. set

of cups therein. I have, therefore, provided my dispenser with means by which the base of the magazine, constituting also the cover for the housing of the dispenser, may be held in closed position, this holding means being inoperable except by a special implement for operating it.

15 designates a dispenser supporting bracket, provided with vertical posts 16. The housing of my dispenser is provided with perforated lugs 17, which are fitted to the posts 16 to connect the housing to the bracket 15. The base 5 of the magazine of my dispenseris provided with an arm 18, which is positioned between a pair of parallel ears 19 and 20 at the upper end of the bracket 15. The car 19 contains an unthreaded aperture and the ear 20 ,is pro vided with a screw threaded aperture, both of these apertures being in registration with theaperture in the arm 18 when the base of the magazine of my dispenser is in closed position.

21 is a locking screw which extends through the registering apertures in the bracket car 19 and the arm 18 carriedv by the base of thedispenser magazine and en- 20. This 'locking screw is provided with a keyr'eceiving shank 21, to which a key may be appliedto position the locking screw, as illustrated .in Fig. II-I. When the locking screwisjfsoEjpositioned, its key receiving shank is within the. bracket ear19, and the screw is inaccessibleiior operationexcept by a key, or other implement, provided especially for its operation; consequently, the opportunity for the'= dispenser 'magazine being opened or removed from its support by an unauthorized person is reduced to a -minimum. I

="I,c1aim: a a 1.. In a dispenser, a magazine for holding articles to be dispensed, oscillatory'separating devices adjacent to the path of movement of the articles in said; magazine, each of "said separating devices being provided are normally supported and with a V-shaped segmental flange adapted to enter between two adjacent articles to separate themfrom each other, and an-oscillatory operating ring for oscillating said separating devices.

cups having lips, a series of cup separating devices adjacent to the cups, each of said cup separating. devices being provided with a segm tal supporting wing bywhich the cups I rm'allljysupported andwith a segmental, preaderi ange adapted to enter betweentthe lips-of'two adjacent cups to separatethem frQmQeachi-Qther, and an operating -member 'for oscillating all of said cup separating members to remove their'segmental supporting wings fromltheilip of the lower- 2. In a dispenser, a magazine for holding most cup and to insert their segmental spreader flanges between the lip of the lowermost cup and the lip of the next adjacent cup.

3. In a dispenser, a magazine for holding cups having lips, a series of cup separating devices adj acent-to the cups, each of said cup separating devices being provided with a segmental supporting wing by which the cups are normally supported and with a segmental spreader flange adapted to enter between the lips of two adjacent cups to separate them from each other, and an oscillatory operating ring movably fitted to all of said cup separating members to serve as means for rocking the latter, thereby rocking their segmental supporting wings from the lip of the lowermost cup and inserting their segmental spreader flanges between the lip of the lowermost cup and the lip of the next adjacent cup.

4. In a dispenser, a magazine for holding cups having lips, a series of cup separating member by which the cups are normally supported and with a segmental wedge shaped portion having its point located in of the lowermost cup and to insert said a plane above the top of the segmental sup- Wedge shaped portions between the lip of the porting member, the bottom face of said lowermost cup and the lip of the next adja- Wedge shaped portion being located in a cent cup.

plane below the top of said segmental sup- L. S. FLATAU. porting member, and means for oscillating In the presence ofsaid cup separating devices to remove said E. B. LINN,

segmental supporting members from the lip E. CLARK, 

